Because You Just Never Know
by Skittles McSillypants
Summary: Bella and Alice have been best friends forever. But things can change, will Alice always be around? AH/Slightly OOC. First fanfic. Let me know what you think!


AN: Hey guys, this is the first fanfic I've EVER written. I wrote it for my creative writing class, and if things are pretty positive, then I think I'll go ahead and write a whole new story, maybe based on this, maybe something else. I've got a bunch of ideas floating around in my noggin. Sooo, I hope you guys enjoy!

**Prologue**

**I watched as she was rolled into the operation room, knowing very well it may be the last time I'd ever see her alive.**

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"Alice!" I yelled.

"What?! God woman, give me two minutes!"

Mary Alice Brandon had been my best friend for the majority of our twenty-one years of life. She stood at five foot two, had choppy short brown hair, and a motor that just kept running. A spunky fireball of action, who did not know the meaning of "slow down" literally, figuratively, and vehicularly (if that was even a word). She quickly zipped past me, out of the bathroom and into the bedroom.

Of course we were late. But, we had obtained an unspoken amnesty for being late to anything we attended with loved ones and friends. It was ingrained in our DNA, and now that we shared an apartment, it seemed as though we were hopeless. Always getting to places just short of the event being over.

"Dammit, Alice! Get the hell out of the room! I can't be late today, I have an exam. You've got exactly thirty seconds missy, or I'm leaving your ass to take the bus."

The door shot open. She ran out of the room with half a pant leg still making its way up and a brush in the other had. It happened in slow motion, and I had to use all my control not to laugh.

"Nooooo! Don't leave me to the bus!"

"You are so spoiled. It's not that bad, and since you're so slow, you can take some good old fashioned public transportation," I responded.

"It's not that bad?" She asked with a look on her face like 'are you serious right now?' "It's not that bad? Do you even know the germs that are hanging out on the bus just waiting for me? I could get a, a, a STD or something just from sitting," she stuttered causing me to snort loudly.

"Well, I'll take you to the VD clinic first thing in the morning," I said as I swiped the keys off the counter in the kitchen and headed for the door.

Which one of us would have ever guessed she was extremely sick and would end up in some kind of medical facility soon?

It didn't even take as long as it usually did. I barely made it to the car and unlocked it before I heard the stairway door to the garage of the apartment complex slam and Alice start screeching for me to wait for her. Just to piss her off and kicks for myself, I pretended I didn't hear her as I got in the car. It was completely ridiculous though, because the garage was empty and so quiet you could hear a pin drop. I quickly closed the door and started the car. Next thing I knew, a tiny thing slid across the hood of my car and ripped open the passenger door.

"You scratch it, you patch it," I told her with a stern look before pulling out into the street, and making our way to school. She rolled her eyes and retorted something low that sounded like "serves you right, Scrooge."

We finally made our way to school and parted ways. I knew I wouldn't see her until late tonight as she had some hot date planned with her boyfriend, Jasper. They had only been together for three months, but you could see the level of respect and love they had for each other. It was cute and sweet and sickening all at the same time. But he would do anything for her and her for him.

The door opened around midnight, and a very grumpy "Honey, I'm home" rang through the apartment. "Take your shoes off or lose a foot," I yelled receiving a scoff from Alice.

"As if it matters anyway," she muttered under her breath. I still couldn't see her, but I could hear her coming down the hallway slowly, sounding like she was swishing water around in a bottle or something. Still muttering, too. "I'm going to kill him. Probably going to smother him in his sleep or chop him up into little pieces and feed him to Buttons." Buttons Armadillo was our Rottweiler. He was huge and mean looking, but oh so sweet. The name threw off everyone who first met him. Expecting to see a little Chihuahua come through the door when called. We added on 'Armadillo" because we thought it was even funnier to name him after some random animal. ('Shark' just wouldn't cut it though.)

She made it a point to drag her feet as she walked into the living room and I narrowed my eyes at her as she came around the corner. I couldn't help to keep the smirk off my face when I finally settled my eyes on her.

"What the hell happened to you?" I couldn't shut my mouth before I started laughing hysterically. There she stood, soaking wet, dripping water all over the place. I think it was safe to say there was no water bottle swishing going on in the hallway.

"Jasper threw me in the pool." Cue more laughter. "Said I needed to cool down after we got into an argument at dinner. It wasn't even my fault! How am I supposed to be calm when the skanky waitress is shamelessly ogling my boyfriend? Huh? And he was just sitting there soaking it up and that just egged me on. He knew what he was doing. Such an idiot." When she was done recounting the night, she was breathing heavily and if looks could kill…

"Soooo, what did you do?" I asked because I was more than curious by now.

"Nothing too terrible. Just told the manager I found some hair in my food…" she answered, not looking me in the eyes, and smiling coyly.

"And…" I knew her far too well to know that this was not where she stopped her abuse.

"And…itdoesn'tmatterwhatelsehappenedbecauseIgotafreemealoutofit," she hurried out in one breath. She took a breath and then told me to 'shut it.'

It figured though. I expected as much. It was a usual occurrence for Alice to overreact when someone hit on Jackson. If anyone so much as looked his way, she immediately retaliated. Sneakily tripping girls, or spilling drinks. Anything to get them away. She never had to worry though; because Jackson made it clear he wasn't going anywhere anyway.

"Good job Ali. You never cease to amaze me. Now get off this couch, go change and bring the blow-dryer so we can dry the couch. It's going to smell funny if it just sits here wet." She quickly hopped up and started for her bedroom. I noticed her sway slightly as she walked.

"Hey Al, you okay?" I asked concerned she may have had too much to drink or something. She slowly turned with a weird look on her face, but gave me a reassurance smile after a second the replied,

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't feel too good. Just a little tipsy I guess." She had a questioning look on her face as she spoke the last sentence. Alice didn't get tipsy often, so she must've had quite of bit of liquor.

"Alright then. Take some aspirin and try to get some sleep. Don't worry about the chair," I cut her off as she opened her mouth to protest. "I got it. Go." I may have heard something being mumbled back like, "Sure, Mom."

I was just glad it was Friday and we didn't have class tomorrow. Hung-over Alice was never fun.

Jasper came over really early the next morning while Alice was still fast asleep. He recruited me as he liked to call it, but more like begged (in my opinion,) to help him make breakfast, hoping it would get him forgiven for pushing his girlfriend in the pool. I accepted once the puppy dog eyes were put into play and we worked in companionable silence while making pancakes, eggs, bacon…you name it, we had it.

Jasper set the table while I went to wake Alice. He wanted to surprise her and well, who was I to deny him a chance to get out of the doghouse.

"Alice?" I opened the door quietly and sat at the edge of her bed. "Alice?" My voice faltered slightly as called her name a second time and looked over at my best friend's sleeping form. Her face was damn with a light sheen of sweat, and she looked anything but peaceful as her face was contorted as if she was in pain. I shook her gently and called her again. She groaned and very weakly responded, "I don't feel well."

"How much _did_ you drink last night?" She didn't seem anywhere near drunk when she trudged off to bed the night before. I had seen her at her lowest when we were sixteen years old and stole a bottle of vodka from her Mom's cabinet and drank it all on an empty stomach. THAT was a drunken Alice. So, this was new.

"I barely drank anything. A glass of wine, that's it. Besides it's my head that hurts. It feels like someone is pounding on it so hard," she managed to grumble. She slowly got up out of bed. I helped her into her bathroom. I left her and sat back down on the bed to wait for her and trying to figure out what was up. I was a little panicky, because Ali was _no_ lightweight, and a glass of wine wouldn't put her in this state.

I heard her flush the toilet and turn the shower on. It sounded like she was brushing her teeth while waiting for the shower to warm up. Three minutes later I heard a loud crash come from inside the bathroom.

"Alice!" I called in fear. She didn't answer. I pushed the door open. Her body was slumped against it. I tried to move her out of the way without hurting her. Once I got inside, I screamed for Jasper. He came running in and looked terrified when his eyes settled on his girlfriend lying on the ground unconscious.

"Call an ambulance, Jasper! Tell them she said her head was hurting really bad and she passed out." I was extremely scared now. I didn't know what was wrong, or how to fix it. I just hoped the ambulance would get here fast and take care of my best friend.

Before I knew it, I was being pushed out of the way by two EMTs. They threw questions at Jasper and I and we answered them as best we could, but to be honest, we didn't know much. Jasper let me ride with Alice to the hospital while he called her family to let them know the situation. He promised as soon as he finished phoning everyone, he would come see her.

Alice woke up later that afternoon in a hospital bed, hooked up to a million different machines and IVs in her arm. She looked so disoriented. I tried to reassure her by rubbing her arm. She looked up at me with tears in her eyes.

"What's wrong with me?" she asked in a voice so small, it brought me back to when we were kids and we would hurt ourselves playing.

"I don't' know, Ali. The doctors are going to take you for an MRI soon. How is your head, still got that headache?" I didn't know what to tell her. No one would tell me anything. Alice's family wouldn't be here until later. They had taken the first flight out of Mexico as they were on vacation.

"No, it doesn't hurt as bad now. But I felt like a boat hit me this morning. It's usually never that bad." Whoa. Rewind.

"What do you mean it's never that bad, Alice? How long has this been going on?" I was furious.

"A little over a month now. I didn't tell anyone because it wasn't unbearable. I really didn't think anything of it until last night. When I got up, I was dizzy. I figured it was the wine, but even that didn't make sense." Ha, you think?

"God Ali, you should've at least mentioned it. These things make a difference in case-" I got cut off as the doctor walked in the room and introduced himself. Dr. Carlisle Cullen promised to take good care of Alice and then gave her the rundown of what would take place when she got the MRI. They took her away; Jasper arrived before she got back.

"Hey, any news?" He sounded as broken as I felt.

"No, they just took her to get an MRI. Geez, I'm so mad, Jasper. She's been feeling this way for a month! What if it's serious? What if-" Jasper interrupted my rant by hugging me. I hadn't even realized I'd started crying.

"Let's just see what the doctor has to say, and then we'll see where to go from there, okay?" He shook me gently making sure he'd gotten his point across. I just nodded and waited impatiently for my friend to come back.

Finally they wheeled her back to her room. Her family had gotten in while she was gone. The people I considered my family as well. She sat on the bed, looking like her usual perky self and we all made small talk as we waited for the doctor to come back with the results.

Dr. Cullen came into the room about an hour later and reintroduced himself seeing as there were a whole set of brand new faces. Then he got serious.

"Alice, I'd like to know if you're comfortable with all these people here, or if you'd like them to leave the room while I speak with you," the doctor said taking a look around the room.

"No, it's fine. Whatever it is, they'll find out eventually, so might as well shock them all at once," she said laughing weakly at her failed attempt to make a joke.

"Alright Alice, if you're positive." She nodded her consent. "I'm sorry to inform you you have a brain tumor. It's a considerable size and the reason for the headaches and vomiting you've been experiencing. It is operable, but there are risks that come with this surgery. Luckily we've caught the tumor early on and…" I drowned out everything he said after that, because Alice was staring at me, looking ashamed and broken. She was trying her best to keep her tears at bay, so I just went over and held her. I whispered reassurances in her ear, "you'll be alright," "if anyone can get through this, it's you," "by the time this is over with, we can go to the bar and order 'two-more' and laugh it up." I knew that one would get my girl to laugh.

We looked around the room, and everyone's face held shock. Also a little disapproving of our laughter amidst a bad situation. Oh well.

Alice decided right then and there that she would have the surgery as soon as possible. She didn't want to put off the inevitable, and told everyone that whatever was meant to happen, would. She told us not to be sad, and to pray for the best.

The surgery was set up the following afternoon. The day before, after the shocking news, Alice had undergone a boatload of tests and medical shenanigans. Her hair would be shaved off at the site of the incision tomorrow right before hand.

Jasper and I stayed with her all night. She didn't want t be alone. We played stupid nonsensical games and just hung out. Jasper put up a great front for Alice. But I knew he was tearing himself up inside. He loved her deeply. He supported her because this is what she wanted and he knew if it was meant to be, she'd come right back into his waiting arms when all was said and done.

The day came too quickly. Morning flew past in a flurry of activity and prepping. All of Alice's family and some of mine came down to give her well wishes and show support. Jasper told her to hang tight and he promised to take her shopping for a new dress to replace the one he had ruined with chlorine water.

And then it was us. Just Ali and I.

"I guess I'll see you when I see you, kid," she said wrapping her arm around me while we sat on the bed.

"Yep. I'll be here. Don't let them cut out the part of your brain where you won't remember me. Because then I'll drop you, there's just too much information for me to recount to you. I'm too lazy to sit around telling you stories all day." I gave her as genuine a smile as I could muster and squeezed her tightly. "I love you Ali, always have, and always will. Now, go get 'em, Tiger."

She nodded her head silently. Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears. She fought not to let them fall. I kissed her on her forehead and stepped aside as they rolled her into the operation room, knowing very well it may be the last time I'd ever see her alive.

**I'd love some feedback. Constructive criticism, anything! Thanks for reading!**


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